Intense moment: Just gave my parents "the talk..." about home defense. I'm 17

[StealthBeast]

My parent's are very reasonable people, and DO listen to me when I talk. They're very receptive to my opinion provided I stay relativly receptive to theirs. But I'm soon to be 18, and I wanted a gun, for the traditional purpose of self-defense (a purpose not too traditional in this house). That's a huge bomb to drop on anyones parents, but I thought I'd give it a shot.

I am extremely adamate in my belief that it is better to have a gun, than not to have a gun. We do have a gun and know how to use it, but we only have 1 gun, a .22 target pistol, it's always unloaded, seperate from it's ammo, in it's box. It's not even remotely accessible for self-defense, and of course, as a .22LR pistol, is hardly appropriate for it anyway. Our home does not have a burglar alarm system. My dad keeps a lead pipe next to his side of the bed, my mom keeps an aluminum bat next to hers. I keep a field hockey stick and a realistic looking airsoft pistol (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?i...lhouttemc0.jpg) next to my bed. We have a dog but he's just a really old lassa-poodle that sleeps upstairs with my parents (He's quite apparently losing his hearing, so it's not like he'll even act as a good tool for warning.)

I got to the point relativly quickly with my parents, noting that I'm 17, and that when I'm 18, the law will allow me to own a handgun by the gift of a parent, grandparent, or spouse. My parent's are extremely receptive to me, but even they weren't too cool with that idea lol.

I noted that we don't have any serious deterent to a criminal, lacking any alarm to speak of. He assured me that the chance of a criminal breaking in is rare, and that if it did happen, that he's a big guy, with a big pipe next to his bed, and hell to pay with anyone threatening his family. I agreed that he is a big guy, and that he can defend himself (and mom who sleeps directly next to him) from nearly any unnarmed intruder, but then noted that, with no alarm system to speak of to warn him, and having it take considerable time to navigate that maze of his upstairs room, the stairs (that always have crap piled on them), and the hallway, my room is easy for anyone to get into, with a very crappy lock (sometimes it locks and unlocks itself), maybe while HE may be "safe" and feels confident fending off an intruder with a bat, that, although I'm a big guy myself, I don't feel it necessary to take any chances, and if I'm the position where I need to swing a bat, I'm also in the position that It'd be better to use a gun, and I'd prefer to do that.

My parent's took that to heart, and figured it was a good idea if I had a more respectable lock on my door. Thing is even with a respectable lock, I'm depending on either my dad being the macho-man that he his, ending the confrontation, or the (flimsy) door holding out as I called the police (we have no home phone service, we use cell phones, so lets hope the phone is in the room with me..).

My mom mentioned that when she grew up, they had an alarm system scare off an intruder. She said it's a good thing to have anyway, and that they would put serious thought into a purchase of an alarm system.

The last line of defense is yourself, and although it is your last line, it is the most important line as it can be the deciding factor for your life. Why let that be decided by a lead pipe when it can be decided by a firearm. The main focus behind my dad's entire argument behind that is, "It's too easy to kill someone with a gun. You can panic and shoot someone you shouldn't have shot like a family member, or you can kill the intruder and go to jail." and my entire counter-argument behind that is, "That's the point, and although it's terrible to risk being in jail, it's better than risking being dead." My dad cared very little for what the statistical benefits were, so the debate was really hard. Ultimatly, I convinced my parent's to purchase a firearm, and an easily accessible safe for the firearm. I convinced them to keep the gun loaded and ready to fire, but they insisted that it be in the safe at all times. Also, to my grief, my mom was adamate about having the gun be a revolver, so that's part of the condition too (rofl.. it's just personal preference, I really wanted a .45ACP 1911 =p) Also, the safe will be upstairs with my parents.

I then suggested that perhaps I could have a safe in MY room with MY OWN choice of weapon in addition to THEIR safe in THEIR room with THEIR choice of weapon . There wasn't much I could argue with when they pretty much said, "Your my son, and you live in my house, and I don't think you should have access to the firearm like that. So no, not right now". The big emphasis that my parent's made was that though they are saying no right now, that doesn't mean it will always be like that... but in the meantime, "Don't nag us about it." lol

Also added somewhere within this long conversation, they are now seriously considering getting a more guard-oriented dog (They seemed to have a soft-spot for dobermans, and yes we can handle a dog like that, we had 2 rottweilers, one of them who was extremely aggressive to visitors.)

So, in my attempt to convince my parents to allow me to own a handgun, I had unintentionally convinced my parents to allow me to install a lock on my door, invest in a burglar-alarm for the house, buy a revolver, keep it loaded within an easily-accesible safe, and possibly adopt a watch-dog. So although my goal wasn't directly met, many other ones were.

I couldn't have done it without the knowledge I learned from sites like this, so thanks!



I was charged with the duty of researching the firearm and safe we are to have.

My parents want the gun to be a revolver. The realistic candidates for the revolver that I have shot are .38, .357, and .44 (special).

I'm torn between either a .357 revolver or the .44 revolver. The .38 is a little bit weak for defense in my opinion (Comparable to my opinion of the 9mm), and I know my parents wont want to use .357 as a defense weapon. The advantage however, is on the range. .38 is inexpensive, so we can shoot alot of it, and on days where we're bored and want to shoot something harder just for the shits and giggles, we load some .357 in it.

The .44sp costs more though doesn't it? So we might not be able to shoot it quite as much as we'de like. Also, .44 revolvers tend to be huge as they shoot .44mag, and my mom has small hands and doesn't like ultra-heavy guns. Furthermore, the .44mag round has very little purpose in defense or on the range, as I'm the only one in the family who likes shooting magnums that big. HOWEVER... For self-defense, the .44sp has better ballistics in my opinion (Comparible to the .45ACP), so it's potentially better for self-defense.

So I'm torn between the everyday range-advantages of the .357 and the self-defense advantage of the .44 sp

Also a question... All .357 revolvers shoot .38, but not all .38 revolvers shoot .357. So although all .44mag revolvers shoot .44 special as well, are there .44 special revolvers that DON'T shoot .44 mag?


Also, I'm only considering the 2 options I'm most familiar with so far. What other revolver types and calibers could work for defense, while not being too expensive to take to the range?

Hmmmmm......I don't know the first thing about safes.. TO GOOGLE! *Flys away*

[normanvin]

it sounds like you have some wise parents. There nothing wrong with a revolver. On that note you can get a 9mm revolver. It uses moon clips.

I think the dog idea is a good one. In my opinion every one needs a dog.

[Michele]

If you're convinced that you need a home defense weapon, get a shotty. Simple shottys are reasonably priced, even for a young man such as yourself. You can purchase a shotty at 18 yrs of age.

Some parents have a hard time dealing with their child wanting or carrying a gun. It was difficult enough their child getting a drivers license. lol

It is naive of you parents to think "nothings going to happen here". Here is everywhere and yes it does happen here and everywhere.

Agreed that getting a dog is a good idea, however, it shouldn't be your only means of defense. I have a dog. He is quite capable of "taking care of business", however, I consider him just an alarm.

Good Luck! You sound like a level headed young man. I'm sure your parents are proud.

[Big Dog]

I wish I had time to respond and I will later but for now .......well written and thought out! Helps to have open parents, you remind me of my sons and I'm pretty damn proud of them.

Reps dude ................. talk to you later!

S&W is always a good choice for a revolver and I vote for the .357 so Mom can get involved!

[StealthBeast]

If you're convinced that you need a home defense weapon, get a shotty. Simple shottys are reasonably priced, even for a young man such as yourself. You can purchase a shotty at 18 yrs of age.

Yeah, legally I can do that, but I can't possibly go against my parents like that.

The idea is that the alarm, and the dog barking will fend off almost any burglar. The locked doors on the bedroom and the doberman should be more than enough to fend off the particularly adamate, drugged up, crazed-to-the-point-of-numbness, criminal long enough for police to arrive, and finally, if it came down to it, my parent's got the gun, and I got the airsoft gun (Pointing an extremely realistic looking airsoft gun and screaming, "I HAVE A GUN, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE BEFORE I KILL YOU" will generally suffice).

The dog is just a supplement to the ultimate plan of stalling long enough to wait for police.

[fonz]

Get the .357 and shoot .38s at the range. I have a .38 loaded with hollow points that Id have no problem depending on for defense. i dont think it is underpowered at all. check out GunVaults for a small, easy to use safe.
good luck

[Michele]

Yeah, legally I can do that, but I can't possibly go against my parents like that.

The idea is that the alarm, and the dog barking will fend off almost any burglar. The locked doors on the bedroom and the doberman should be more than enough to fend off the particularly adamate, drugged up, crazed-to-the-point-of-numbness, criminal long enough for police to arrive, and finally, if it came down to it, my parent's got the gun, and I got the airsoft gun (Pointing an extremely realistic looking airsoft gun and screaming, "I HAVE A GUN, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE BEFORE I KILL YOU" will generally suffice).

It will be much easier for you to convince your parents about a shotty. They won't have the worry about you carrying it. At 18 you can O/C a handgun. That might be their underlying concern. It might be easier to for them to swallow you having a shotty under your bed, rather than a handgun at your hip. I do not in any way suggest that you do something against your parents wishes, however, there is room for compromise. You just have to know how to "convince" to compromise. Choose your argument wisely. Maturity and sensitivity goes along way.

[Michele]

and finally, if it came down to it, my parent's got the gun, and I got the airsoft gun (Pointing an extremely realistic looking airsoft gun and screaming, "I HAVE A GUN, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE BEFORE I KILL YOU" will generally suffice).

The dog is just a supplement to the ultimate plan of stalling long enough to wait for police.

Stalling? When seconds count, the police are minutes (sometimes hours) away. Would you trust your life to a phony gun?
Get the dog, he's an alarm. When the "alarm" goes off, ready yourself. There is a sound that most criminals/intruders will respond to, and that is the sound of a round of double ought buck being chambered. Their response is usually fleeing. Although, a problem you might encounter is having the displeasure of spraying lysol all over the house because he's shit himself as he was running.

[BerksCountyDave]

I agree with the shotgun recommendation.

[crakkajakka15]

Hmm sounds like you may want a carbine.....

Beretta has the cx4 chambered in .40 and .45acp and 9mm


hipoint makes the .4095 in .40sw


kel tec sub2000 which i belive comes in .9mm,.40sw, and .45acp but you can use standard glock or beretta mags with them





And these are all "rifles" so you cna buy them when your 18